Six of the best: gadgets to keep you safe

Heart Trinket Alarm, £9.99, from www.safe-girl.co.uk

Perfect for teenage girls, on the outside eye this is a shiny, pink heart trinket. However, underneath the glamorous shell lies an ear-splitting alarm. The idea is, if you feel threatened or in danger, you pull the chain and instantly draw attention thanks to the siren it emits. Hang it from a belt loop, handbag/backpack, or use it as a key ring so it’s close to hand. Powered by two LR44 batteries, it has an ‘on-off’ switch and is competitively priced. Most importantly, it’s not ugly or bulky, so fashion-conscious teens will be happy to take it out and about.

Guard yourself

Personal Guardian, £119.40 (including 12 months of monitoring service), available January 2016 from www.pickprotection.com

A work in progress, this gizmo is already gaining plenty of attention. Creator, Rebecca Pick, has designed an alarm that can clip onto bra straps. It’s discreet, won’t be seen through outer clothes, and inside the small contraption hides a wealth of tech capabilities. Press the two buttons on each side simultaneously and it connects to your Smartphone (using the corresponding app) and sends your chosen contacts a text detailing both that there’s an issue at hand and also your location. However, it doesn’t end there, you’ll be connected to a monitoring station which will listen to double-check if it’s a false alarm. If it’s not, the police will be alerted — with your location given. The internal microphone on both your phone and the device itself will record audio that can be used in court, if necessary.

Intruder alert

Swann OM-DOORST Doorstop Intruder Alarm, £3.99, from www.maplin.co.uk

If you’re staying home alone and feel nervous about doing so, or arrive at a hotel and are concerned about safety standards, this simple device can help. Pop the doorstop as close as possible to the closed internal door, then, if the worst-case scenario happens and someone tries to force their way into the room, the door will push against the gadget and activate an 110db alarm. It is as simple as that! A good small device that will give you peace of mind. Requires a DC 9 V battery that isn’t included.

Stick it

Walking Stick with Built in Alarm & Light, £24.99, from www.betterlife.co.uk

This is a great, height-adjustable walking stick. It’s lightweight, really comfortable to hold and, as it’s foldable, is a space saver too. What’s more, it’s not in the least bit fiddly, putting it together takes no effort - the parts just click into place. In addition to excelling at its main function - aiding you to walk, it also comes with a couple of extras which will help if you’re concerned about your personal safety. At the front of the stick, you’ll find an LED torch which can be activated by pressing a button on the top - great if it’s a cold, dark evening and you want to be able to see clearly in front of you. There’s also a panic alarm function, just press the button on the side if you want to draw attention to yourself.

Rolling out

Guard Your ID Regular & Mini Roller Set, £15.80, www.qvcuk.com

There is no shortage of identity fraud horror stories out there, and many tales involve criminals going through bins to get hold of your personal details. With that in mind, these little gadgets will help appease your concerns. It comes with two rollers, both which include a special oil-based ink. Apply once over any personal details contained in documents you’re keen to dispose of - whether that’s bank statements or utility bills, and criminals won’t be able to decipher what lies underneath. Then you can pop the documents in your recycling bin as normal. A great alternative to a shredder, and you can purchase ink refills for it too.

Ultra protection

WD My Passport Ultra, 1TB, £50, from www.westerndigital.com

The problem with having a lot of tech, both in your home and when you’re out and about, is that it can be rather appealing to thieves. With that in mind, if you’re concerned about your important data getting into the wrong hands, this portable storage device will help keep your documents safe. You can easily set passwords so others can’t access it and feel safe in the knowledge it comes with hardware encryption, so even if it ends up in the wrong hands, they won’t be able to view what’s on the device. In addition, you can back up your files using cloud storage and even sync it to Dropbox. As for its main function — storing your data — it transfers files incredibly quickly due to the USB 3.0 port and is available with 1-3TB capacity.

APP OF THE WEEK

iSurvive: The Ultimate Rescue App, 79p, iTunes

If time is of the essence and you need to let loved ones know you’re in danger, this app will let you do just that. Click onto the app and you can send a pre-written message, your location and a maps link to your chosen contacts. It will even track you via GPS, so your contacts can keep up to date if your location changes.

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5 Theory Test for Car Drivers UK - Driving Test Success by Focus Multimedia

6 MONOPOLY Game by Electronic Arts

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8 Fantasy Premier League 2015/16 - Official App by Premier League

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6 Official Rugby World Cup 2015 App by World Rugby Limited

7 Facebook by Facebook, Inc.

8 Instagram by Instagram, Inc.

9 YouTube by Google, Inc.

10 Slow Down by Ketchapp